First preference increases for La Trobe

For the second year in a row, La Trobe University has recorded strong growth in VTAC first preferences, with an increase of approximately 10% for 2010. This follows a 15% surge in applicants last year.

Overall, La Trobe has secured 12% of first preferences in the Victorian tertiary education marketplace- a clear signal that prospective students increasingly see the University as a key study destination.

‘La Trobe is on a path of renewal and growth and I am delighted that this is being recognised by the community, and I am particularly pleased with the popularity of our new courses,’ said La Trobe’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Johnson.

New courses such as sports journalism, events management, dietetics practise and primary teaching received an excellent number of first preferences.

La Trobe’s network of five regional campuses recorded a steady 5% increase in first preferences.

‘Shepparton campus has excelled with a 45% increase in first preference choices and this is no doubt linked to the $10 million dollar new campus which will begin operations in the 2011 academic year,’ said Professor Johnson.

Below is a breakdown of first preference polls highlights by faculty, as compared to this time last year.

Faculty of Health Science: 1st preferences have improved by 9%.Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences: Notable 1st preference counts for new Sport Journalism (Bundoora) at 103 applicants. Faculty of Law and Management: 1st preferences have improved by 13%.Faculty of Science Technology and Engineering: 1st preferences have improved by 9%. Faculty of Education: 1st preferences have improved by 46%.